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Ahh reading all the posts about episode 3 makes me want to watch it even more. I couldn't watch it yesterday because I fell asleep and now I'm mad at myself for doing so, ugh. Well tonight I'll get to it and post more than something like this.
I'm excited to see all the character developments and what not... can't wait.
Also it's really funny how the reaction to episode 3 is the polar opposite here than at some other places/people. Although I think I'll have a positive reaction.

Sorata's angst was a bit exaggerated, but overall it was a great episode. Since this episode delivered, I think the anime will do a good job resolving each character's conflict as well. I really like the group dynamic, and I can't wait for the plot to unfold!

She understand what people going to do in a love hotel but she doesn't feel the emotional part attached to it.

The heart wrecking part is not about there relationship but the fact that Mashiro asking what Sorata doing with there, he has refuse to come with her as a caretaker in the first place. It is about how much effort they each put in there goal that is wrecking, not there "current" relationship.

you say it's cruel she did that but it's not. He needed a wake up call and that's what she have him.

Ooh, Jin has a major urge to 'comfort' Misaki when he sees her depressed? Well, at least he got one part of osananajimi right.

Now, I wonder, how is he gonna give that bear as a gift.

And lol@Misaki asking MC if he's ok with Jin NTR'ing him, when essentially she's the one who's being NTR'd for the longest time. Although it is interesting, Jin's first GF was the one stalking Misaki? That's a backstory I want to see if I ever saw one. XD

I really wasn't expecting an episode like that this early in the series, but it was quite refreshing to see a serious mood like that indeed.
Having Sorata questioning his own plans for the future, and his "dishonesty" towards the Sakurasou residents was a very good step for his character development.

Meanwhile, I'm starting to think that Matsuoka has a very scary lung capacity: he kept screaming like a madman for Sorata's lines, in a very convincing way. Due to this, I think slapstick tsukkomi characters fit him better than the serious ones he did in SAO or Campione. At this rate, he might be the new popular male seiyuu, which would be refreshing after having Yuuki Kaiji.

Although it is interesting, Jin's first GF was the one stalking Misaki? That's a backstory I want to see if I ever saw one. XD

No. WHat Misaki said is she didn't even need to stalk Jin's first GF to know the detail.

And of course there's a reason why she didn't need to stalk Jin and his first GF... that's some sort of major spoiler although the original material (novel and manga) did reveal that at this point already. It also bring up some interesting things on this episode: the anime did alter some (important) plot here so I'm now curious about how they are going to develop the relationship and story later on (postpone to next episode, maybe?). Looking forward for next episode !

1. It's painfully obvious that Aoyama is out of the game now. Will they try to force some kind of spotlight episode before completely ditching her out of the romance route? I can't imagine Toradora being the classic it is now, if they would have ditched Minorin on episode 3, or before any character development (which is zero for Aoyama right now).

2. Why is Misaki still in love with a man that bangs strange (and married) women every night? Are anime characters that stupid? Not even the bitchiest of my friends would give herself completely (as in, love) to a guy like that. I understand they grew up together, but REALLY? I dated my childhood friend for a while, but she became a jerk and things carry on to different paths when they don't work out, just like we did.

1. It's painfully obvious that Aoyama is out of the game now. Will they try to force some kind of spotlight for her before completely ditching her out of the romance route? I can't imagine Toradora being the classic it is now, if they would have ditched Minorin on episode 3, or before any character development (which is zero for Aoyama right now).

Spoiler for Toradora:

Putting it under spoiler tags because I know mods want me to but really Minorin was ditched before she was even introduced,the opening narration in the first couple minutes tells you Taiga is the final girl,hell even the very title of the show tells you that she's final girl,I knew from the very first moment I saw her that she had no chance.
That didn't stop me from loving her character,she didn't need to be a final love interest to be relevant.

Quote:

Not even the bitchiest of my friends would give herself completely (as in, love) to a guy like that. I understand they grew up together, but REALLY? I dated my childhood friend for a while, but she became a jerk and things carry on to different paths when they don't work out, just like we did.

You make it sound like Jin is some jerk that enjoys torturing Misaki for the fun of it,which is really not the case.

You make it sound like Jin is some jerk that enjoys torturing Misaki for the fun of it,which is really not the case.

You don't need to be a jerk to hurt somebody to the bones. And why does it matter anyway? Him being a nice guy doesn't mean she doesn't deserve a better outcome, at all. In my honest opinion, fucking random women every night is being a notorious D. Maybe this anime makes him likable because of the plot, and seem to not be bothered about that, so in a sense the anime succeeded.
Just pointing that out.

1. It's painfully obvious that Aoyama is out of the game now. Will they try to force some kind of spotlight episode before completely ditching her out of the romance route? I can't imagine Toradora being the classic it is now, if they would have ditched Minorin on episode 3, or before any character development (which is zero for Aoyama right now).

2. Why is Misaki still in love with a man that bangs strange (and married) women every night? Are anime characters that stupid? Not even the bitchiest of my friends would give herself completely (as in, love) to a guy like that. I understand they grew up together, but REALLY? I dated my childhood friend for a while, but she became a jerk and things carry on to different paths when they don't work out, just like we did.

For 1) and 2)

If you plan on enjoy this series in the long run, try not judge those characters too early.

Hint: We haven't even progress to the material of novel volume 2 yet, so be patient, the story will unfold.

Color me pleasantly surprised with the overall direction and tone of the third episode, and that's with already above average expectations. While the first two episodes featured shades of depth and foreshadowing regarding the character issues, I certainly wasn't expecting the show to bring those to the front this early and explicitly.

Indeed, I was expecting the anime to continue in the same lighthearted and humorous pattern for quite some time before tackling any deeper character issues, as things usually tend to flow, so seeing the show taking a different route was a most welcome sight. And what makes it even better is that the drama surrounding Sorata is very human and shouldn't be hard to relate to.

The question of what to do with one's future is a very basic and important one, and people being unsure about it is both natural and not uncommon. Mashiro and Sorata make pretty interesting contrasts in this regard, as Sorata noted - Mashiro knows exactly what she wants to do and is living it, while Sorata is uncertain and frustrated regarding his future.

And she is the more content person for it, despite obviously lacking in certain social areas. This is probably the realization that will impact Sorata's and Mashiro's interaction dynamics the most - that for all his common sense Sorata isn't necessarily the more successful person, nor is Mashiro nearly as lost and helpless (in the grand scheme of things) as he had assumed her to be. Larger picture trumping the smaller details, is it?

It was good to see these issues being brought out in the open so early, and it will be most interesting to see what the show does with them. The door is certainly open for lots of character growth and development and the show has plenty of time to spare exploring the subjects.

Indeed, it will be interesting to see how both Jin and Sorata handle their respective situations, which aren't all that dissimilar - both are paired with females whom they feel respectively inferior to, and at least in Jin's case has evidently decided that he has to keep his distance from Misaki, likely with the usual "She's too good for me" line of thought. Here's hoping Sorata doesn't venture down the same unsympathetic path, though his story (at least for now) is likely to be much less relationship centric than Jin's.

Either way, after 3 episodes in I can safely say that giving this show a try was one of the better decisions I have made regarding this anime season. The initial summary / promo material left me quite lukewarm, but the show is very much above what an initial glance might suggest. The comedy delivers the appropriate punch (Both Seiyuu performance and animation complement the scenes greatly), the drama (or what we have seen of it) is surprisingly down to earth and human, and the characters are more complex and have more depth than I would usually expect from a typical romc-om show. Good stuff, can't wait to see how all this develops.

Two main gripes for me: 1. It's painfully obvious that Aoyama is out of the game now.... 2. Why is Misaki still in love with a man that bangs strange (and married) women every night...?

Excellent post, with which I think I disagree a bit.

1. In the long run, I can't really see Mashiro settling down with anyone but her art, and perhaps a butler. Is that the role Sorata wants to fill? On the other hand, Aoyama just feels something for him, and if he ever starts to reciprocate, things can happen. This is a two-cour show, after all. Also, maybe my standards are low, but I feel as if Aoyama has had some development. We know she is determined and a hard worker, that she has financial problems, and also that she can be reasonable and kind, but can also get frustrated and sad. A reasonable start, it seems to me.

2. Misaki knew Jin before he became a player, it appears. So she is thinking of him in that light, and as her writing partner. Also, Jin does not seem to be taking advantage of anyone, just giving them (and him) some pleasure. I've known guys like this who are actually good guys, not exploiters. I'm not saying I approve of such behaviour in general, just that I can't condemn them personally.

Aww, I couldn't help but feel nothing but sadness throughout this episode. Things kept getting worse for Sorata as well as Misaki and as much as I wanted some sort of support for them both, they never got it